Mike Shildt Looking to Improve Situational Hitting This Season With Padres
The 2023 San Diego Padres might have been one of the most frustrating teams in recent memory. With all their talent, they finished 9-23 in games decided by one run and 1-11 in extra-inning games.
This seems to be a point of emphasis for the team heading into the new season. New Padres manager Mike Shildt commented on the importance of situational hitting and executing what the game dictates,
Every at-bat is a situation. The reality is the game tells you what to do. What does the game allow? What is the game calling for at the moment? So we work on all the things that allow us to execute that.
Shildt talked about the approach he wants to see the team take to improve in these situations,
That’s what Petco Park hitting is. It’s really just what hitting is. It’s relative to the situation. Can you stay on the ball? Can you drive the ball through the middle? Use the big part of the field? Can you move a guy over? Can you bunt him over? Just use the whole field.
The Padres ended the season 23rd overall in OPS with runners in scoring position (.726). However, with bases empty, they ranked second in MLB in getting on base with a .330 OBP. This means they got on base better than almost anyone, but could not drive them in.
If they improved their record by a couple in either of those columns, the Padres would have made it to the playoffs instead of the eventual National League pennant-winning Arizona Diamondbacks.
